Rising Stars: Meet Lee Hendrickson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lee Hendrickson.

Hi Lee, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My background as a research scientist and my degree in biomedical photography led me to develop specialized techniques for growing, then photographing crystals through the microscope. The resulting fine art photographs of the infinitely varied crystalline patterns are magnified thousands of times and reveal a brilliant rainbow of color as the illuminating white light is refracted through the crystal facets.

This lifelong fascination with the connection between art and science found an outlet in 2005 when I began my second career as a professional fine art photographer. My studio/lab in Goodyear, AZ, has become a creative environment for constantly expanding my knowledge of crystal compounds and photographic techniques.

My crystal photographs, which include crystals from wine, chocolate, caffeine, and cannabis, to name a few, are exhibited at juried art shows throughout Arizona and the western U.S. and are included in private, corporate, and public collections worldwide. A multi-award-winning artist, I am honored to have been recently named Phoenix Magazine’s “Best Artist” and “Best Photographer” for 2022.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are many challenges when creating a new art form. For my artwork, growing crystals requires scientific experience and considerable patience. The crystals themselves are incredibly small and fragile and are constantly changing. There are also the technical challenges of photographing through a microscope. Finally, a practiced photographic eye is necessary to discover fine art-worthy compositions hidden within the myriad of crystal arrays. In any new artistic field, there are, of course, no existing paths to follow or even an existing audience, and both must be created along the way. Although I can never repeat a crystal pattern (think of snowflakes as an analogy), I have an infinitely diverse subject matter to explore. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How do you think about happiness?
It’s a long list, but being able to discover and then share the extraordinary beauty of nature through my artwork is incredibly gratifying. I have to be as much of an educator as an artist, and knowing that I’ve brought happiness to so many others with my crystal photography is truly special.

Pricing:

• $95-$4800

Contact Info:

• Website: www.photographyofcrystals.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhotographyofCrystals

Image Credits
Lee Hendrickson